3 Broncos players who could get contract extensions after Quinn Meinerz

EDGE Jonathon Cooper

You probably thought this last slide was going to be reserved for Courtland Sutton, didn't you? While the Broncos could very easily extend Sutton, I want to talk about EDGE Jonathon Cooper, who is also from the 2021 NFL Draft.

Quinn Meinerz was a third-round pick, and Cooper was a seventh-round pick. Well, Cooper obviously does not have a fifth-year option, as that is only available for first-round picks. As of now, his rookie contract will expire next offseason and he will become a free agent. However, the Denver Broncos could do the financially wise thing and actually give Cooper a modest extension.

With him being an EDGE rusher, he plays a premium position, and if he can build on his 2023 breakout year, he may end up being too expensive for the Denver Broncos to retain. The Broncos could perhaps extend Cooper now for a lesser number, locking him up for the long-term.

In 2023, Cooper played and started in all 17 games, racking up an interception, two fumble recoveries, two passes defended, 72 total tackles. 8.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, and 13 QB hits. It's clear that Cooper's ceiling may have no been reached yet, so the Broncos might have something awesome brewing.

And while there is a possibility that Jonathon Cooper does not turn into a true alpha off the EDGE, he may end up maxing out as a high-quality EDGE2 type of player, and with there never being too many pass rushers on an NFL team, this deal makes a load of sense for both sides.

Rewarding the Broncos 2021 draft class would be a wise idea by extending Jonathon Cooper. The Denver Broncos also have another pass rusher from the 2021 NFL Draft class in Baron Browning, who has struggled with injuries through his first four seasons. But Browning may actually have the highest ceiling of any pass rusher on the team's roster.

The two other notable players in this unit include rookie Jonah Elliss and 2022 second-round draft pick Nik Bonitto, who also exploded onto the scene in 2023.